One of the most puzzling aspects of ongoing marijuana prohibition has been the ability of the government to preserve clear falsehoods within the Controlled Substances Act. Even with our limited access to peer-reviewed studies on the plant, we know that many of the risk factors initially associated with marijuana use are baseless.

Marijuana legalization advocacy group Americans for Safe Access were fed up with the hypocritical handling of cannabis and are taking a stand, but they need your help. The group started a petition that they hope will force the DEA to tell the truth about cannabis so that those in need may finally get legal access. Organizers hope to gather over 100,000 signatures, at which point the petition will be delivered to President Obama in the hope that he will force the DEA to take corrective action.

According to the Information Quality Act, it is against the law for a government agency to knowingly and purposefully disseminate false information to the public. The ASA petition argues that the DEA has been doing just that by continuing to hold fast in their claims that cannabis has addictive properties and zero medicinal value. By allowing these false claims to remain on the books, politicians are able to use the plant’s CSA designation as a reason to shoot down new reform.

The Change.org petition accompanies a legal request filed by Americans for Safe Access last month with the Justice Department in hopes of forcing the DEA to correct their outdated and disproven information. Specifically, ASA wants the DEA to stop calling cannabis a “gateway drug” and a causing factor for long-term brain damage. The filing also demands that all future legislation and publicly available information about cannabis reflect the most recently available research data and medical information.

“The DEA has actually admitted that cannabis is not a gateway drug and does not cause long-term brain damage, psychosis, and other alleged harms, yet they keep distributing this false information anyway, despite the reality these claims are not based on scientific fact,” explained Beth Collins, Senior Director of Government Relations and External Affairs for ASA. “It’s illegal for the government to disseminate inaccurate information and the DEA must be held accountable. This misinformation hurts the millions of medical cannabis patients in the 29 states where cannabis treatment is legal, as well as patients in other states who are working to pass laws, for whom safe and reliable access to marijuana is a matter of necessity.”

The timing of the petition and legal filing are no coincidence, as the nation recently watched Senator Jeff Sessions begin the confirmation process for his Attorney General appointment. The Alabama Senator has a strong record when it comes to opposing marijuana, even claiming at one point in his career, “good people don’t smoke marijuana.” Advocates for cannabis know that the next legislative session is a crucial one for the advancement of legalization efforts, and they want these important decisions made based on real scientific data rather than archaic opinions.

If you would like to see the government make informed decisions about cannabis, sign the ASA petition here. You can also read the legal motion filed by ASA here, including pages 6-12 that spell out in detail each false claim the government has made about marijuana with regards to mental illness and the “gateway”

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This is the unfortunate reality in which I live as well, albeit with PD. I have emailed every representative, senator, congressperson, that I can think of. As well I have contacted the MPP to try and get some support on this issue. Most of which to no avail or automated response. The current "legislation" and even the supposed to be introduced "legislation" is an absolute joke. I truly believe a move will be in my future.

Researchers in Saskatchewan and Alberta are looking into the usage and safety of cannabidiol

(CBD) — a marijuana extract with very low levels of psychoactive compounds — for children with epilepsy.

The lead researchers of a pilot study are Dr. Richard Huntsman, a pediatric neurologist at the University of Saskatchewan, and Dr. Richard Tang-Wai, a pediatric epileptologist at the University of Alberta. Cannabidiol is the main area of their research.

Tang-Wai said the study came about after a huge demand from parents of children with severe epilepsy.

Tang-Wai said the parents were looking for anything which could help their children. Some of them noted reports from various news outlets depicting the use of CBD as some sort of miracle drug.

Tang-Wai said parents told him parents would seek out CBD themselves.

"It's hard to stop parents from doing that sometimes because they are desperate," Tang-Wai said, adding it can't be determined just what else is in those products.

Safety is needed when dealing with the administration of medication and children, which is what the study hopes to shed more light on, both men said.

"The product that we're using is a high cannabidiol, low THC product," Huntsman said.

Huntsman said past studies have shown CBD to have some benefits when it comes to treating epilepsy but said the study is only just scratching the surface.

Tang-Wai emphasized it is not the same as recreational marijuana use, in which THC features prominently, so there aren't as much psychoactive effects when treating children.

The children in the study have varying degrees of severity when it comes to epileptic seizures. Huntsman said some children can have up to 100 seizures a day, in the worst cases. The children in the study often are not candidates for surgery either, due to medication or diet.

"These kids also, as part of epilepsy syndromes, often regress developmentally," Huntsman said. "So that really adds to the urgency that we need to get a good feel, a good handle of what's happening with cannabis."

The study is a multi-centre study at both universities, as well as partner sites at University of British Columbia, Université de Montréal and McGill University, Huntsman said

.

Thirty children will go in on a monthly basis, and each month their dosage of CBDs will be escalated. Over the time, children will be monitored and will continue other medication they're using during the study.

The BrainBot, a brain-scanning technology developed by tech startup PotBotics, enables physicians to pick a marijuana strain that is most suited for their patients' needs.

I would love to take that test and really know what it could do for me. Realistically, it won't be covered by insurance, be very pricey, and I won't be able to use it in my state. However, I am very curious.

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The properties of CBD present in marijuana for Parkinson are amazing because it helped me to reduce symptoms a lot by using it mainly as an oil. I discovered this oil thanks to this article https://pevgrow.com/blog/en/what-is-the-cbd/ and read how the oil with CBD can be useful to reduce inflammation and other problems linked to Parkinson. I also have to mention that I consult with a doctor before using it.

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As of right now (and I have had motor issues for 3+ years but only recently diagnosed), CBD and THC are SAVING my life. I am taking some Chinese herbs and my vitamins and then using CBD during the day and smoking Indica at night. I will continue this as long as it works. When I use, the tremor in my body is barely perceptible. And all the cramping goes away. And anxiety too.

I was never a recreational user-missed that chapter thanks in part to Ronald Reagan's, "war on drugs" in the 80's. Those ads of my brain frying in a fry pan turned me off to trying. However, now as an 47 YO living in CO (legal) I am partaking and thrilled about the improvement to my quality of life.

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It smells but with the use of the Pax the smell is really not so bad. My husband hasn't said it smells too much. No neighbors have complained. I imagine smoking using the Pax (or another vape) in the bathroom with the exhaust system on would contain the smell. I also use tinctures and they don't smell at all. I use a 5:1 CBD THC tincture and a pure CBD (cannibis not hemp) tincture.

It depends...somedays I only take the CBD dose one time. I find if I am having a non computer day I need way less. Typing causes my tremor to increase. I smoke once a day before bed and fall into a wonderful deep sleep.

I really feel like a true believer! I never ever smoked as a teen or young adult. This is really helping my mood, outlook and body sensation.

The CBD relaxes the muscle cramping and quiets the tremor. Pretty much they all do that. The smoking lowers my anxiety and quiets my whole nervous system. I did choose a specific strain of indica for just that purpose.

This is all new to me so I am doing research online (green flower and leafly) and will try other strains. Also finding the info about turpenes and the endo cannaboid system interesting.

I saw a Dr. in MA who said lots of her clients find relief using CBD. And she saw no reason why this early on in my disease process that I should using anything else.

I know of someone who has been using MJ as his only medication for 10+ years.